Lead HR Business Partner

About the role

At National Grid, we keep people connected and society moving. But it’s so much more than that. National Grid supplies us with the environment to make it happen. As we generate momentum in the energy transition for all, we don’t plan on leaving any of our customers in the dark. So, join us as a Lead People Partner and find your superpower.

National Grid is hiring a Lead Business Partner to deliver a dedicated and tailored HR service to assigned business areas (of around 800 colleagues in Wales and other key stakeholder groups).

The role will be focusing on strategic people related solutions including talent, succession and development planning, strategic workforce planning, coaching and developing leaders to create high performing, inclusive environments, enabling them to manage colleagues in line with our manager essentials and company values.

As a Lead Business Partner you will be responsible for developing and delivering people related interventions to resolve local challenges and support business ambitions, for example by leading on key HR strategic initiatives and projects such as organisational design, culture and employee changes. The primary objective of the role is to deliver people priorities which support the business strategy and have a direct, positive impact on the business and its people.

The successful candidate will have strong influencing, facilitation, and communication skills to work effectively with business leadership teams. They will navigate complexity effectively and work in partnership across the NGED people team, and Group People Function including the Centres of Excellence. The role is supported by a dedicated People Advisor and so includes line management accountability to ensure a total coordinated approach and effective delivery to the business areas.

We require a flexible approach to work with the ability to travel to other offices/sites.

What you'll do

• Working with the People team and business to develop and deliver an appropriate people plan (as a sub-section of the overall people priorities) for their business areas, to enable them to achieve their goals and create value add.
• Provide high quality, consistent, risk and evidence-based advice for all levels of management and people leaders within the assigned business areas for all matters related to the management of employees, acting as a trusted advisor to build a reputation as a credible, professional, and flexible HR professional.
• Lead and drive key organisation and business led projects, priorities and activities (e.g. DEI strategy, talent solutions, Grid Voice (people survey) etc).
• Support the talent agenda for NGED, and in particular their business areas including developing succession bench strength and critical role mapping.
• Work with a range of specialist colleagues within the Group People Function centres of Expertise and with the Head of Business Partnering, to provide tailored, best practice solutions to business problems.
• Analyse key themes, trends (internal and external) and performance metrics to identify how different scenarios may impact on the business and make recommendations for moving forward.
• Working closely with ER specialists to ensure compliance with policies and procedures to minimise the number of tribunals, grievances and complaints that occur because of breaches of procedure.
• Identify and proactively manage/mitigate people risks through targeted interventions in line with the NGED people strategy and business need.
• Work within the established TU frameworks to ensure issues are raised and addressed in a timely manner, representing the business unit on established groups and forums as required.
• Proactively seek opportunities to build knowledge of National Grid, the NGED business and their specific business area and requirements to provide tailored ‘fit for purpose’ advice.
• Line manage a People Advisor and support their development and performance, ensuring an aligned service delivery to the business area and the achievement of agreed goals.
• Work within the established TU frameworks to ensure issues are raised and addressed in a timely manner, representing the business unit on established groups and forums as required.
• Proactively seek opportunities to build knowledge of National Grid, the NGED business and their specific business area and requirements to provide tailored ‘fit for purpose’ advice.
• Line manage a People Advisor and support their development and performance, ensuring an aligned service delivery to the business area and the achievement of agreed goals.

What you'll need

• Demonstrable partnering experience providing professional, risk and evidence -based HR advice, tailored to the needs of the business, ideally within a large utility sector organisation.
• Broad knowledge and experience across the full spectrum of HR activities including strategic HR planning, talent, development & succession planning, DEI, ER, organisation design and people development to provide a rounded service to the business area.
• Strong influencing and communication skills to build relationships at all levels of the organisation and with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Ability to analyse complex situations and make well-considered judgement decisions quickly and confidently.
• Experience of managing projects from initiation to implementation and review.
• Ability to think medium term and work alongside the function to translate the strategy into operational HR solutions.
• Exceptional facilitation skills to work collaboratively with the business.
• Ability to work collaboratively across the HR function to develop an integrated HR approach.
• Ability to work with the function leads to identify HR interventions/solutions to any business challenge.
• Demonstrates the ability to understand the connections between the business and relevant research or information.
•  Able to challenge constructively and influence for positive people outcomes and to uphold Company Values.
• Confident with large volumes of data and comfortable working in highly confidential environments.
• Competent in MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook
• Degree or equivalent experience in business and HR
• Member of chartered institute of personnel and development (CIPD) desirable

What you'll get

A competitive salary between £62,000.00 - £74,000.00 per annum – dependent on capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

About us

National Grid is pioneering ways to decarbonise the energy system; from building interconnectors to allow the UK to share clean energy with our neighbours in Europe, to investing in renewable energy generation in the United States.

As one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world, National Grid is at the centre of a clean, fair and affordable energy future, where tackling climate change and reaching net zero is a key priority.

More Information

This role closes on 1st December 2025 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

At National Grid, we work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.